South African squad for the T20I series against India announced

South Africa have announced their 14-member squad for the three-match T20I series against India that will get underway at The Wanderers, Johannesburg on February 18.

In the absence of the regular captain Faf du Plessis, all-rounder JP Duminy has been given the captaincy duties for the three-match series. Keeping the all-important Test series against Australia in mind, the selectors have rested all their fast bowlers, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel and Lungi Ngidi, for the upcoming T20I series.

Adding to these names, the selectors have also rested batsmen Aiden Markram and Hashim Amla ahead of the Test series. AB de Villiers, who came back after nursing a finger injury for the fourth ODI against India, is a part of the squad that has three newcomers in Warriors' batsman Christiaan Jonker and Titans' duo of Heinrich Klaasen and Junior Dala, thanks to their heroics for their respective teams in the recently concluded Ram Slam Challenge.

“With the Sunfoil Test Series against Australia starting only 5 days after the completion of the T20 Series it is necessary for us to rest some of the players who have featured in virtually all our international matches so far this summer. These include Hashim Amla and Aiden Markram among the batsmen as well as most of our frontline fast bowlers. AB de Villiers has missed quite a lot of cricket this summer so he will play in the T20 Series,” commented CSA National Selection Panel Convener Linda Zondi.

"Christiaan Jonker has been one of the most explosive finishers in domestic T20 cricket in recent seasons and his selection, together with that of Junior Dala, gives players who have performed well at franchise level the opportunity to show that they can compete at the highest level. Heinrich Klaasen’s recent performance speaks for itself. Reeza Hendricks gets another opportunity for the same reason, having been the highest runs scorer in this season’s Ram Slam Challenge," Zondi added.